Adsorption properties of biomass-based activated carbon prepared with spent coffee grounds and pomelo skin by phosphoric acid activation

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 268; pp. 566 - 570
• Main Authors: Ma, Xiaodong, Ouyang, Feng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.03.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Coffee grounds; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Physics; Pomelo skin; Adsorption; Activated carbon; Pomelo skin; Coffee grounds
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.01.009

► AC prepared from coffee grounds and pomelo skin were activated by phosphoric acid. ► Adsorption of ethylene and n-butane fitted well with Langmuir equation at 308K. ► PS-AC could adsorb 129cm3/g n-butane at room temperature up to 1atm. ► Micropore filling effect was explained in a thermodynamic way. Activated carbon prepared from spent coffee grounds and pomelo skin by phosphoric acid activation had been employed as the adsorbent for ethylene and n-butane at room temperature. Prepared activated carbon was characterized by means of nitrogen adsorption–desorption, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope. It was confirmed that pore structure played an important role during the adsorption testes. Adsorption isotherms of ethylene and n-butane fitted well with Langmuir equation. The prepared samples owned better adsorption capacity for n-butane than commercial activated carbon. Isosteric heats of adsorptions at different coverage were calculated through Clausius–Clapeyron equation. Micropore filling effect was explained in a thermodynamic way.